Waste collection apparatus



y 2, 1940- A. H. BURKHOLDER 2,206,834

WASTE CDLLECTION APPARATUS Filed Oct. 26, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l Zhwentor E g ltorneg y 1 A. H. BURKHOLDER 6,834

WASTE COLLECTION APPARATUS Filed Oct. 26, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3nnentor ALDEN H. BURKHOLDER' (It orneg Patented July 2, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,206,834 WASTE COLLECTION APPARATUS Alden H. Burkholder, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Industrial Rayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application October 26, 1937, Serial No. 171,159

17 Claims.

This invention relates to methods of andapparatus for collecting thread or the like.

In handling threads of either natural or syn-. thetic origin it is frequently desirable that the thread be collected temporarily by an. auxiliarythread-collecting device rather than by the regs ular collecting apparatus, as when the regular thread collecting apparatus is being doifed. For example, in a machine which is continuously pro-.

ducing artificial silk thread it has been found advantageous accordingto the present invention to associate an. auxiliary thread-collecting de-. vice with the regular thread-collecting appara,-. tus, such as a twisting device, to facilitate the use of the latter. The present invention is bene-.

' ficial because it eliminates the dimculty of start-- ing a continuously supplied thread upon the spool of a twisting device, this difficulty arising out of the fact that the thread is often supplied at a faster rate than it can be handled manuallyin. applying it to the twisting device and in set-: ting the twisting devicein operation. The aux-\ iliary thread-collecting device of the invention thus can withdraw the continuously produced :5 thread while the twisting device is being threads ed and started. l

' Further difficulty arises in the operation of a continuous thread-producing machine in that, since the thread is' being constantly supplied, sothe thread may collectat some possibly undesirable point if it is not constantly removed dur-.

ing the time that a completed thread package;

' such as a filled collecting spool is being removed from thecollecting device and, for instance, an

35 empty spool is put in place to collect the thread; The auxiliary thread-collecting device of the invention provides a convenient means for col-I lecting thread being supplied by a continuous thread-producing machine during the time re-| 40 quired to dofi the thread collecting device. l To illustrate the invention the accompanying drawings shows a preferred embodiment of the q present invention as applied to a continuous thread-processingmachine. In these drawings, 5 Figure 1 is an elevation of the lower portion ot a continuous thread-processing machine with the device of the invention in its preferred po-l sition. Figure 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of. Figure 1 on an enlarged scale, parts being bro-t 5 ken away. Figure 3 is a section on the line 3'-3.

of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale. plan of afragmentary portion of the collecting receptacle. The continuous thread-processing machine 5 with which the device of the invention is asso-l Figure 4 is a ciated is illustrated as being of'the general type disclosed in the Walter F. Knebusch and Alderr H. Burkholder application Serial No. 7,114, filed February 18, 1935. In said machine each thread after formation is subjected to several process- 3 ing treatments for producing a finished thread on each of a series of thread-storage, threadadvancing devices or reels. In the illustrated embodiment the thread.& eventually reaches drip reel 6.which affords the thread, on passing there l m over, an opportunity to lose some of its free mOiS-Z ture. Reel 1, to which the thread next passes in the apparatus shown, is heated and is en-( closed in an enclosure to remove the remaining moisture from the thread passing over said reell 15 The dry thread then passes through guide eye 8 to cap twister 9 upon which it is collected. In a complete thread-processing machine of the type illustrated a plurality of threads 5 will be manufactured side by side each by its own de-q 20 scending series of reels and each thread will be collected upon its individual cap itwister 94 Because of the balloon caused by the threads about the cap twisters during operation thereof,

it is desirable that they be separated by vertical 2 partitions ill to prevent thread entanglement. To stop rotation of its winding spool I2 each cap twister 9 is provided with a brake controlled by lever it! which acts upon the whorl of that cap twister. In the drawings, the two cap twisters 9 at the left end of the machine are represented as having been stopped, and braking levers being shown in the on position by applying their brakes while the remaining cap twist-1 cm are represented as being in motion. As best brake lever I3 is then released. 1

i In the apparatus illustrated as embodying the invention a tube I5 is secured to the partitions Ill between adjacent pairs ofthe cap twisters 9. In this manner each tube 15 serves the two cap twistersbetween which it is disposed. 'Th'e upper end of each tube I5 is preferably located slightly below the guide eye 8 since by so locating the tube l5 its entrance end is well above the top of the cap twister 9 and thread being brought to or passing into the tube I5 will not interfere with the balloon of an adjacent cap twister. In order that the thread may. pass freely intq admission oifluid to the Jet i8 a petcock I9 may? be provided in the supply pipe 20. In the illus1 trated apparatus supply pipe 20 is connected tq a conduit 2| which extends longitudinally of the thread-processing machine and serves all of thq branch supply pipes 20. Conduit 2 I. may be sup-1 plied with compressed air, although any other compressed fluid may be utilized if desired, iii being desirable that the fluid be under such pres-y sure that when petcock I9 is open a strong cur-; rent will be induced throughout the length oii tube It.

In the illustrated apparatus, the lower end of tube I 5 enters a receptacle, such as basket 22. The wall of the basket preferably has a large number of openings therethrough so that the fluid issuing from tube l5 will pass freely out of the basket but the thread will be retained. This may be accomplished by utilizing as side walls, perforated sheet metal, expanded metal or a woven wire fabric. Baskets 22 preferably are located below the cap twisters so that they are in a position out of the way of the operator and so that the tubes IE will be as long as possible. The longer that tube I5 is in length the greater wfll be the force acting upon the thread to draw it through the tube since a longer length of thread will be acted upon by the current flowing through the tube. In the drawings, the baskets are shown provided with legs 23 which straddle and clamp against opposite sides of a curbing 24 surrounding the base of the machine. To permit removal of the thread collected in each basket 22 it may be provided with a removable cover 25.

Inasmuch as one of the baskets 22 may hold a considerable quantity of thread, a single basket may be provided for two of the tubes ii. In the illustration, the ends of two adjacent tubes l5 are shown entering opposite ends of each basket. If desired, however, each tube may have its individual collecting basket or more than two tubes may enter a single basket. It is desirable, how-" ever, that the basket be as large as is convenient and that the total opening therefrom be as great as possible since turbulence within the basket is thereby reduced and fluid may more readily escape from the basket without tending to displace the thread. 7

In using the auxiliary thread-collecting device of the illustrated embodiment of the invention to "assist in the dofilng operation, the petcock l9 is opened to deliver fluid into the tube [5 which is nearest the winding spool I2 to be dpfl'ed. A bight is'then formed in the thread passing from guide eye 8 to the spool I2 to be doiIed and is then delivered to the entrance end of this tube l5 so that the thread will come under the influence of the current flowing through the tube. The length of thread between the entrance end of the tube and the cap twister is then held firmly so that the rotation of the spool breaks the thread in said length. when the severed end of the thread is released it will be drawn through the tube l5 into the collecting basket 22. The thread will now continue to run from the guide eye 8 into the tube II as shown by the two left-hand threads in Figure l. Byoperatingbrakelever "notation oithewindingspoolfl maythenbestoppedso thattheiullspoolmayberemovedandbereplacedbyanemptywindingspool.

Tocausethethreadtobewounduponthe empty winding spool a bight is formed in the length 01' thread between the guide eye I and the entrance end or tube II, the bight in the thenonthethreadwilibecollecteduponthe winding spool in orderly jiashion. When the held thread end is released, the thread passes into the tube II and into the collectlngbasket thread is caught into the slot I4, and the spool again is set in rotation. As soon as the thread is winding upon the spool the petcock I 0 may be turned ofl.

Since the auxiliary thread-collecting device of the invention exerts an impositive drawing force f upon the thread, its association with thread-collecting apparatus is thus very advantageous. An impositive drawing force is exerted upon the thread because it is acted upon only bythe fluid current flowing through the tube. Because of this, the thread may be supplied rapidly or slow- -ly to the tube, may be stopped, or may even be drawn backward through the tube without stressing the thread beyond its strength or breaking it. It is thus possible to assure that the thread will be collected at the fastest rate at which it is delivered without the likelihood of any slack occurring in the thread. Likewise, when the thread is manually carried down to be caught in slot ll, the thread may be drawn backward through the tube if this is necessary to obtain a suflicient thread length, without danger of breaking the thread.

The thread-collecting device of the invention may have wide application in associations other than those here illustrated. For example, the device may be associated with various types of collecting or twisting machines to temporarily collect thread during the time that the filled packages are being dofl'ed and the thread is started on the apparatus for the formation of a new package, as when a filled collecting spoolis being replaced with an empty one which is put 1 i. Thread-producing apparatus comprising a thread-collecting device comprising a tubular passageway having its entrance end in proximity to said rotatable thread-collecting means, means for causing a flow of. Iluid through said passageway whereby thread brought to the entrance end thereoi. will be carried through said passageway, and means at the discharge end of said passageway for gathering the thread issuing therefrom.

2. Thread-producing apparatus comprising a source of thread of substantially continuous length; rotatable means for simultaneously twisting and collecting the thread; and, associated therewith, an auxiliary thread-collecting device comprising a tubular passageway having its entrance end located above the uppermost portion of said rotatable thread-collecting means, means for causing a flow of fluid through said passageway whereby thread brought to the entrance end theroif will be carried through said passageway, and means at the discharge end of said passageway for gathering the thread issuing therefrom.

3. Thread-producing apparatus comprising a source of thread of substantially continuous length, a cap twister for collecting the thread, a tubular passageway associated with the cap twister having its entrance end located adjacent the cap of the cap twister and its discharge end located below the cap twister, means for causing a flow of fluid through the passageway from its entrance to its discharge end whereby thread brought to the entrance end will be carried through the passageway, and means below the cap twister surrounding the discharge end of the passageway for gathering the threadissuing therefrom.

4. Thread-producing apparatus comprising a source of thread of substantially continuous length, a twisting device, for collecting the thread, an auxiliary thread-collecting device associated with the twisting device comprising a tubular passageway in which is induced a flow oi fluid serving to carry thread through the passageway, means for controlling the flow of fluid in the tubular passageway, and independent means for controlling the twisting device, whereby either the twisting device or the auxiliary thread-collecting device may be operated during periods of non-operation of the other.

i 5. Thread-producing apparatus comprising a plurality of independent sources of-thread of substantially continuous.length, a plurality of independent thread-winding means upon each of which one of the threads is collected, a plurality of independent auxiliary thread-collecting de-- vices comprising tubular passageways located between. and serving adjacent. pairs of threadwinding means, and a thread-collecting receptacle common to a plurality of tubular passagewa s. r

6 In combination with a twisting device, thread-collecting apparatus comprising a tubular passageway of relatively great length as compared with its cross section, a jet delivering fluid into said passageway at a point below but in proxmity to the entrance end thereof so that the entrance end of .the'passageway is free, said jet being directed away from the entrance end of the passageway so that a-current will be induced through the entire lengthofthe passageway and thread brought to the entrance end thereof will becarried throughout the, passageway, means for controlling the jet of fluid, and

means at the discharge end of the passageway for collecting the thread issuing therefrom.

7. In combination with a twisting device, thread-collecting apparatus comprising a tubular passageway of relatively great length as com pared with its cross section, a jet delivering fluid into said passageway betweenits ends near the entrance end of said passageway and in the direction of the discharge end oi! the passageway whereby thread brought to the entrance end of the passageway will be carried through the passageway, and a foraminous receptacle located at the discharge end of the passageway for collecting the thread issuing therefrom in a tangled mass.

8. The method of dofllng a device which collects a thread in package form and to which such thread is continuously supplied comprising passing the thread from said collecting device to an auxiliary take-up device, subjecting the thread to a hydraulic force which exerts an impositive drawing action thereon and severing the thread so that it passes to said auxiliary take-up device alone, removing the filled package from said thread-collecting device and preparing said thread-collecting device to form another package, forming a bight in the thread passing to said auxiliary take-up device, and passing said bight toand starting the thread on 'said thread-collecting device and severing the length of thread between the auxiliary take-up device and the thread-collecting device so that the thread passes to said thread-collectingdevice alone.

9. The method of dofling a rotary device which collects a thread in package form and to which such thread isv continuously supplied comprising passing the thread from said rotary thread-collecting device to an auxiliary take-up device, subjecting the thread to a hydraulic force which exerts animpositive drawing action thereon such that it may be readily withdrawn therefrom and severing the thread so that it passes to said auxiliarytake-up device alone, stopping the rotation of the rotary thread-collecting device, removing the filled package from said rotary thread-collecting device and preparing said rotary thread-collecting device to form another package, forming a bight in the thread passing to said auxiliary thread-collecting device, passing said bight to and starting the thread on said rotary thread-collecting device, starting the rotation of said rotary thread-collecting device, and severing the length of thread between the auxiliary thread-collecting device and the rotary thread-collecting device so that the thread passes to said rotary thread-collecting device alone.

10. The method of dofiing a rotary device which collects a thread in package form on a spool andito which such thread is continuously supplied comprising passing the thread from said rotary thread-collecting device to an auxiliary take-up device including a tubular passageway through which said thread is drawn by the fiow of a fluid therethrough and severing the thread so that it passes to said auxiliary take-up device alone, stopping the rotation of the rotary threadpassing said bight to and starting the thread rotary thread-collecting device so that thethread passes to said rotary collecting device alone.

11. The method of doiiing a device which 001- lects a thread in package form and to which such thread is continuously supplied comprising tormingabightinthethreadpassingto said threadcollecting device, passing said bight to an auxiliary device and subjecting the thread to a hydraulic force which exerts an impositive drawing action thereon, severing the length oi thread between said auxiliary device and said threadcollecting device so that the thread passes to said auxiliary device alone, removing the filled package i'rom said thread-collecting device and preparing said thread-collecting device to form another package, forming a bight in the thread to said auxiliary device and passing said bight to and starting the thread on said threadcollecting device, and severing the length thread between said auxiliary device and said thread-col'ecting device so that the thread passes to said thread-collecting device alone.-

12. The method of doiiing a rotary device which collects a thread in package form and to which such thread is continuously supplied comprising forming a bight in the thread passing to said thread-collecting device, passing said tight to an auxiliary device and subjecting the thread to a hydraulic force which exerts an impositive drawing action thereon, severing the length of thread between said auxiliary device and said thread-collecting device so that the thread passes to said auxiliary device alone, stopping the rotation of the rotary thread-colecting device, removing the filled package from said thread-collecting device and preparing said thread-collecting device to form another package, forming a bight in the thread passing to said auxiliary device and passing said bightto and starting the thread on said rotary thread-collecting device, and starting the rotation of the device and severing the length of thread between the auxiliary device and the rotary thread-collecting device so that the thread passes to the rotary thread-collecting device alone.

13. The method of dofling a rotary device which collects a thread in package form on a spool and to which such thread is continuously supplied comprising forming a bight in the thread passing to said thread-collecting device, passing said bight to an auxiliary device and subjecting the thread to a hydraulic force which exerts an impositive drawing action thereon,

severing the length or thread between the auxilaaoaaae and passing said bight to andstarting the thread on said rotary thread-collecting device, and starting the rotation oi the device and severing the length oi thread between the auxiliary device and the rotary thread-collecting device so that the thread passes to said thread-collecting device alone.

'14. The method of starting a thread on a thread-receiving device to which the thread is continuously supplied which includes the steps of passing the thread to an auxiliary device, subjecting the thread to a hydraulic force which exerts an lmpositive drawing action upon the thread, forming a bight in the thread passing to said auxiliary device and passing said bight to the thread-receiving device, starting the thread on said thread-receiving device so that the thread passes to and from. said auxiliary device, and severing the length of thread between the thread-receiving device and the auxiliary device so that the thread passes to said thread-receiving device alone.

15. The method of starting a thread on a rctary thread-receiving device to which the thread is continuously supplied which includes the steps of passing the thread to an auxiliary take-up device comprising a passageway through which said thread is drawn by a flow of fluid therethrough, forming a bight in the thread passing to said auxiliary take-up device, passing said bight to and starting the thread on said receiving device, and severing the length of thread between said auidliary take-up device and the rotary thread-receiving device while the threadreceiving device is rotating.

16. The method of removing the thread from a thread-receiving device to which a thread is continuously supplied comprising forming a bight in the thread passing to said thread-receiving device, passing said bight to an auxiliary device, subjecting the thread to a hydraulic force which exerts an impositive drawing action thereon, so that the thread passes to said auxiliary device and from it to said thread-receiving device, and severing thelength of thread between said auxiliary device and said thread-receiving device, so that the thread passes to said auxiliary device alone.

17. Thread-producing apparatus comprising a source of thread which continuously supplies thread, primary means for packaging the thread, and an auxiliary means which subjects the thread to a hydraulic iorce capable of exerting an 'impositive drawing action thereon and is adapted to receive the thread during the period that. said primary thread-receiving means does not function to package the thread.

ALDEN H. BURKHOLDER. 

